Free Wild Darkness (A Bound By Magick Novel) by Lauren Dane

busted him back to cleaning toilets. We did meet with his boss later while you two were in another meeting with Molly. He apologized for the past two days’ worth of unpleasantness from his officers.” Helena took the glass of water his assistant handed her. “They’re short-staffed like everyone else. But he was a good man and I accepted his apology. They’ve got their own problems in the ranks, I suppose.”
    Helena was distracted. And exhausted. Tosh saw it around her edges and hoped the way Faine stared at her meant the wolf—whatever he was—would see to it she got some rest.
    “I appreciate you handling that. Ben was just singing your praises earlier today.” Delilah spoke of Ben Stoner of the Great Lakes Pack and her own Alpha, as she hailed from Chicago. “We appreciate all the effort the witches are putting into this. You’re smart and strong and we’re proud to be protected by you all.”
    Helena tipped her chin slightly and Toshio knew it was a sign of thanks and respect. “That’s a nice thing to hear. His and Tegan’s Enforcer team is something I admire a great deal. We should get moving to the airport now. I’ve received several reports that Others can get hassled quite a bit going through security so we should build in the extra time. I’m spoiled in that I’ve been flying privately of late, so I’ve been able to avoid most of that nonsense.”
    Delilah’s mouth hardened. “The last time I flew I was chosen for an enhanced pat-down. They held me up for an entire hour. Everything was fine until they ran my ticket through. I’ve asked about whether or not there’s some sort of TSA tracking system for Others, but I can’t get any answers. Which only says there is one.”
    Helena nodded. “Oh yes, you know there’s a list.”
    That turned Tosh’s stomach. Lists of Others got very close to what had happened over and over throughout history. Keeping track of people because they were different—and not in a way that protects society like lists of sex offenders or violent felons—wasn’t the America he believed in.
    “I’m sorry.” He sighed.
    Helena shrugged. “You’re trying to stop it. That’s what counts. In the meantime, we can’t make a huge deal of it or we get picked on even worse. They’ve got so much power these days that even raising this treatment as an issue while it’s occurring is cause for them to not let someone fly. So for now, we plan ahead and document everything.”
    “Doesn’t mean we have to like it.” Delilah stood, brushing the front of her skirt down. “But she’s right. Let’s get moving. I’d like to sleep in my own bed tonight and we all need the rest before we deal with Marlon tomorrow.”
    Tosh nearly snarled at his fellow senator’s name. Marlon Hayes had become a legislative mouthpiece for the PURITY movement and it turned his stomach every time he had to deal with the man. There’d be a hearing first thing in the morning on the companion bill to House Bill 877, the Domestic Security Act. A fine-sounding name for a bill that would strip Others of their civil and human rights along with their property and citizenship.
    At least they got to move through security in a shorter line, but Helena was pulled aside for an enhanced check, which took an extra half hour. She was far more patient than he was, and it wasn’t until he started making calls and taking down names that things moved more quickly. They still checked her, but the overt slowing down of the process stopped and they got on with it.
    The unfairness of it deeply bothered him. No one should be treated this way and yet it was happening. It happened every day to many people. And it wasn’t right.
    He was relieved when they finally boarded and got settled in. The flight attendants were friendly and helpful and he was seated next to Delilah. It did wonders for his mood.
    The entire flight Tosh considered ways to ask Delilah over for a drink when they arrived back in DC. But things kept